Downhole Tool with Alterable Structural Component

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments include methods and apparatus structured to control access from a casing in a borehole. A tool can be provided to allow flow from an inner diameter of a casing to external to the casing based on an alterable material structured as a portion of the tool. The alterable material can be structured as a dissolvable material or a degradable material. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods can be implemented in a variety of applications.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods related to oil and gas exploration.

BACKGROUND

In drilling wells for oil and gas exploration, the environment in which the drilling tools operate is at significant distances below the surface. Due to harsh environments and depths in which drilling in formations is conducted, enhanced efficiencies to drilling operations and post drilling operations are desirable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a schematic representation of a tool implemented as a toe initiator with a dissolving sleeve, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 2 is an outer view of a tool having one or more plugs that connects the inner diameter region of a casing to an annulus, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of features of an example method of operating a completion system in a borehole, in accordance with various embodiments.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example a cemented in casing string with initiator, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration and not limitation, various embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice these and other embodiments. Other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, logical, and electrical changes may be made to these embodiments. The various embodiments are not necessarily mutually exclusive, as some embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

In various embodiments, an apparatus includes a tool having an alterable material structured as a portion of the tool to control diversions of flow from an inner diameter (ID) of a casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter (OD) of the casing during operation in a borehole. The casing may be separated from a wall of the borehole by an annulus. The alterable material can be structured as a portion of the tool such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports, isolating the inner diameter from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus. The alterable material can be a dissolvable material or a degradable material, With known characteristics of the dissolvable material or degradable material, drilling based operations can be scheduled according to the time characteristics for the dissolvable material to dissolve or the time characteristics of the degradable material to degrade to a level such that flow can be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus. Such a tool can be implemented to provide a straight forward procedure to create access from an inner portion of a casing to the annulus outside the casing at selected depths in the borehole.

In a non-limiting embodiment, such a tool can be implemented for toe initiation for completions in a well. The tool, as taught herein, could be used to replace current initiator tools. FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a tool 105 implemented as a toe initiator with a dissolving sleeve 110. The tool 105 can utilize the dissolving sleeve 110 on the ID 114 of a casing 115 that isolates the ID 114 of the casing 115 from an annulus 120 during run in a borehole having a borehole wall 122. In some embodiments, the casing 115 may be disposed directly against the borehole wall 122.

In operation, the tool 105 can be run in the borehole in the same manner as current completion systems. Once at the bottom, the well can be cemented, or swell packers can be used for an open hole completion. The casing 115 is then pressure tested. After the well is cemented, there is a period of time before the well is fractured. The dissolvable sleeve 110 within the tool 105 can withstand an operational casing pressure test, but can dissolve before the fracturing crew is on site. This provides an efficient mechanism to generate access from the ID 114 of the casing 115 through ports 121 to annulus 120 or to the borehole wall 122, while satisfying scheduling criteria of a drilling operation. The one or more ports 121 can include a rupture disc 119. The rupture disc 119 can be composed of dissolvable material or degradable material.

FIG. 2 is an outer view of a casing 215 and a tool 205 having one or more plugs 212. The tool 205 can be structured with the one or more plugs 212 being dissolvable plugs. The one or more plugs 212 can be composed of an alterable material structured as a portion of the tool 205 to control diversions of flow from the inner diameter region of the casing 215 to an annulus 220 between the casing 215 and borehole wall 222 or directly to the borehole wall 222. For a plurality of plugs, the plugs can be realized as unique, individual plugs. One or more unique plugs can be arranged as obstructions that connect the inner diameter region of the casing 215 to the annulus 220. Such dissolvable plugs can be arranged in threaded ports. The dissolvable plugs 112 can be used with the dissolving sleeve 110 of FIG. 1.

Systems using alterable material in tools as a toe initiator are simple and would eliminate much of the concerns associated with the current toe initiator systems. This system would also be cost effective. Current toe initiators are complicated and require precise assembly and operational procedures to function properly. Tools, as taught herein, can be simple to build and run, providing a toe initiator system that is simple and cost effective. Such tools can be implemented with no moving parts.

In various embodiments, the tool 105 of FIG. 1, for example, can be implemented with the alterable material structured as the sleeve 110 on the inner diameter 114 of the casing 115 such that the sleeve 110 breaks up according to the altering conditions. The alterable material can also be used in plugs 212 of FIG. 2. The alterable material can be a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature. The dissolvable material can be realized in a number of formats. The dissolvable material can include material that has an average dissolution rate in excess of 0.01 mg/cm²/hr at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of about 7. The dissolvable material can be a fabricated part that will lose greater than 0.1% of its total mass per day at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of about 7.

The dissolvable material can include one or more of a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy. The magnesium alloy can be a magnesium alloy alloyed with a dopant, where the dopant is selected from a group including iron, nickel, copper, carbon, and tin. The aluminum alloy can be an aluminum alloy that is alloyed with a dopant, where the dopant is selected from a group including gallium, mercury, indium, iron, copper, nickel, and tin. The dopant may be included with the magnesium and/or aluminum alloy dissolvable material in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 15% by weight of the dissolvable material. The dissolvable material can include a dissolvable metal matrix having added particles, where the added particles can be non-dissolving metal or non-dissolving ceramic. The non-dissolving ceramic can include a ceramic selected from a group including zirconia, alumina, carbide, boride, nitride, synthetic diamond, silica. The added particles within the dissolvable metal matrix can strengthen the dissolvable metal matrix. The non-dissolving particles can be any shape including granules, rods, cones, acicular, et cetera. The ceramic granules can be constructed from zirconia (including zircon), alumina (including fused alumina, chrome-alumina, and emery), carbide (including tungsten carbide, silicon carbide, titanium carbide, and boron carbide), boride (including boron nitride, osmium dibotide, rhenium boride, and tungsten boride), nitride (including silica nitride), synthetic diamond, and silica. The ceramic can be an oxide (like alumina and zirconia) or a non-oxide (like carbide, nitride, and boride). The ceramic granules can have acute exterior angles to lock together.

The alterable material may be realized as a degradable material. The degradable material can be selected as material that degrades under specified conditions such that the degradable material no later isolates the ID of a casing from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, but allows flow to be initiated from the ID to the annulus. The dissolvable material can be realized in a number of formats. The degradable material can include a degradable metal alloy exhibiting a nano-structured matrix form and/or inter-granular inclusions. A magnesium alloy with iron-coated inclusions can be used, for example.

The degradable metal alloy can include a dopant such that presence of the dopant increases degradation rate of the degradable metal alloy relative to a degradation rate without the dopant. The degradable material can include a solution-structured galvanic material. The solution-structured galvanic material can be a structure of zirconium containing a magnesium alloy in which different domains within the structure contain different percentages of zirconium. This can lead to a galvanic coupling between these different domains, which can cause micro-galvanic corrosion and degradation.

The degradable material can include a degradable metal magnesium alloy solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including zinc, aluminum, nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, a rare earth element, and combinations thereof. The degradable material can include metal aluminum alloys solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, gallium, mercury, and combinations thereof. The dopant may be included with the magnesium and/or aluminum alloy degradable metal material in an amount of from about 0.05% to about 15% by weight of the degradable metal material.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of features of an embodiment of an example method 300 of operating a completion system in a borehole. At 310, a tool is run into a borehole as part of a completion system including a casing. The tool can be operable to allow diversion of flow from an inner diameter of the casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing during operation in the borehole. In various embodiments, the casing may be separated from a wall of the borehole by an annulus. The tool can include an alterable material structured such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing, isolating the inner diameter of the casing from the annulus around the casing while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus. The alterable material can be a dissolvable material or a degradable material.

The alterable material can be realized in a number of different arrangements or composed of different materials. The alterable material can be structured as a sleeve on the inner diameter of the casing such that the sleeve breaks up according to the altering conditions. The alterable material can be structured as one or more unique plugs. The one or more plugs can be arranged as obstructions to the one or more ports.

The alterable material can be a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature. The dissolvable material can include a fabricated part that loses greater than 0.1% of its total mass per day at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of 7.

The alterable material can be a degradable material. The degradable material can include a degradable metal alloy exhibiting a nano-structured matrix form and/or inter-granular inclusions. The degradable material can include a solution-structured galvanic material. The alterable material can be realized by other structures as taught herein.

At 320, the casing is secured. Securing the casing can include cementing the casing or setting the casing with packers. At 330, the casing is pressure tested. At 340, formation around the borehole is fractured after a time at which breaking up of alterable material of the tool, according to altering conditions, has substantially completed.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of an example a cemented casing string 415 with initiators 405-1 and 405-2. At this point in the overall process, drilling in formation 402 has completed and a casing 415 is cemented in place. The drilling string has been removed before the casing 415 is installed. The initiators 405-1 and 405-2 are used to initiate fractures 421 and 423 and fractures 427 and 429, respectively. The initiators 405-1 and 405-2 can be placed with the assistance of landing collar 411, float collar 413, and float shoe 417. The initiators 405-1 and 405-2 can be arranged as part of a completion system, where the initiators 405-1 and 405-2 can include an alterable material structured as a portion of the initiators 405-1 and 405-2 to control diversions of flow. The initiators 405-1 and 405-2 can be structured and operated as taught herein, using the efficiencies provided by the presence alterable material.

The following are example embodiments of methods and systems in accordance with the teachings herein.

An example 1 of an apparatus comprises: a tool operable to allow diversion of flow from an inner diameter of a casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing during operation in a borehole; and an alterable material structured as a portion of the tool such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports, isolating the inner diameter from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus, the alterable material being a dissolvable material or a degradable material.

An example 2 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 1 and can include the alterable material structured as a sleeve on the inner diameter of the casing such that the sleeve breaks up according to the altering conditions.

An example 3 of an apparatus can include elements of any of apparatus examples 1 and 2 and can include the alterable material being a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature.

An example 4 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 3 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1 and 2 and can include the dissolvable material to include material that has an average dissolution rate in excess of 0.01 mg/cm²/hr at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of 7.

An example 5 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 3 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1, 2 and 4 and can include the dissolvable material to include one or more of a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.

An example 6 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 5 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-4 and can include the magnesium alloy being a magnesium alloy alloyed with a dopant, the dopant selected from a group including iron, nickel, copper, carbon, and tin.

An example 7 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 5 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-4 and 6 and can include the aluminum alloy being an aluminum alloy that is alloyed with a dopant, the dopant selected from a group including gallium, mercury, indium, iron, copper, nickel, and tin.

An example 8 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 3 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1, 2, and 4-7 and can include the dissolvable material to include a dissolvable metal matrix having added particles, the added particles being a non-dissolving metal or a non-dissolving ceramic.

An example 9 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 8 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1, and 8-7 and can include the non-dissolving ceramic to include a ceramic selected from a group including zirconia, alumina, carbide, boride, nitride, synthetic diamond, silica.

An example 10 of an apparatus can include elements of any of apparatus examples 1-9 and can include the alterable material to be a degradable material.

An example 11 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 10 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-9 and can include the degradable material to include a degradable metal alloy exhibiting a nano-structured matrix form and/or inter-granular inclusions.

An example 12 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 11 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-10 and can include the degradable metal alloy to include a dopant such that presence of the dopant increases degradation rate of the degradable metal alloy relative a degradation rate without the dopant.

An example 13 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 10 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-9 and 11-12 and can include the degradable material to include a solution-structured galvanic material.

An example 14 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 13 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-12 and can include the solution-structured galvanic material to be a structure of zirconium containing a magnesium alloy in which different domains within the structure contain different percentages of zirconium.

An example 15 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 10 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-9 and 11-14 and can include the degradable material to include degradable metal magnesium alloys solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including zinc, aluminum, nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, a rare earth element, and combinations thereof.

An example 16 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 10 and elements of any of apparatus examples 1-9 and 11-15 and can include the degradable material to include metal aluminum alloys solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, gallium, mercury, and combinations thereof.

An example 17 of an apparatus can include elements of any of apparatus examples 1-16 and can include the alterable material structured as one or more unique plugs.

An example 18 of an apparatus can include elements of apparatus example 17 and can include elements of any of apparatus examples 1-16 and can include the one or more unique plugs arranged as obstructions to the one or more ports.

An example 19 of an apparatus can include elements of any of apparatus examples 1-18 and can include the one or more ports to include a rupture disc.

An example 1 of a method comprises: running a tool in a borehole as part of a completion system, the tool operable to allow diversion of flow from an inner diameter of a casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing during operation in the borehole, the tool including an alterable material structured such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports, isolating the inner diameter from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus, the alterable material being a dissolvable material or a degradable material; securing the casing; pressure testing the casing; and fracturing formation around the borehole after a time at which breaking up of the alterable material, according to the altering conditions, has substantially completed.

An example 2 of a method can include elements of method example 1 and can include securing the casing to include cementing the casing or setting the casing with packers.

An example 3 of a method can include elements of method examples 1 and 2 and can include the alterable material structured as a sleeve on the inner diameter of the casing such that the sleeve breaks up according to the altering conditions.

An example 4 of a method can include elements of any of method examples 1-3 and can include the alterable material being a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature.

An example 5 of a method can include elements of method example 4 and elements of any of method examples 1-3 and can include the dissolvable material to include a fabricated part at loses greater a 0.1% of its total mass per day at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of 7.

An example 6 of a method can include elements of any of method examples 1-5 and can include the alterable material being a degradable material.

An example 7 of a method can include elements of method example 6 and elements of any of method examples 1-5 and can include the degradable material to include a degradable metal alloy exhibiting a nano-structured matrix form and/or inter-granular inclusions.

An example 8 of a method can include elements of method example 6 and elements of any of method examples 1-5 and 7 and can include the degradable material includes a solution-structured galvanic material.

An example 9 of a method can include elements of any of method examples 1-8 and can include the alterable material being structured as one or more unique plugs.

An example 10 of a method can include elements of method example 9 and elements of any of method examples 1-8 and can include the one or more plugs being arranged as obstructions to the one or more ports.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. Various embodiments use permutations and/or combinations of embodiments described herein. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a tool operable to allow diversion of flow from an inner diameter of a casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing during operation in a borehole; and an alterable material structured as a portion of the tool such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports, isolating the inner diameter from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus, the alterable material being a dissolvable material or a degradable material.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alterable material is structured as a sleeve on the inner diameter of the casing such that the sleeve breaks up according to the altering conditions.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alterable material is a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, where the dissolvable material includes material that has an average dissolution rate in excess of 0.01 mg/cm²/hr at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of
 7. 5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the dissolvable material includes one or more of a magnesium alloy or an aluminum alloy.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the magnesium alloy is a magnesium alloy alloyed with a dopant, the dopant selected from a group including iron, nickel, copper, carbon, and tin.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the aluminum alloy is an aluminum alloy that is alloyed with a dopant, the dopant selected from a group including gallium, mercury, indium, iron, copper, nickel, and tin.
 8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the dissolvable material includes a dissolvable metal matrix having added particles, the added particles being non-dissolving metal or non-dissolving ceramic.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the non-dissolving ceramic includes a ceramic selected from a group including zirconia, alumina, carbide, boride, nitride, synthetic diamond, silica.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alterable material is a degradable material.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the degradable material includes a degradable metal alloy exhibiting a nano-structured matrix form and/or inter-granular inclusions.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the degradable metal alloy includes a dopant such that presence of the dopant increases degradation rate of the degradable metal alloy relative a degradation rate without the dopant.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the degradable material includes a solution-structured galvanic material.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the solution-structured galvanic material is a structure of zirconium containing a magnesium alloy in which different domains within the structure contain different percentages of zirconium.
 15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the degradable material includes degradable metal magnesium alloys solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including zinc, aluminum, nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, a rare earth element, and combinations thereof.
 16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the degradable material includes metal aluminum alloys solution structured with one or more elements selected from a group including nickel, iron, carbon, tin, silver, copper, titanium, gallium, mercury, and combinations thereof.”
 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the alterable material is structured as one or more unique plugs.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more unique plugs are arranged as obstructions to the one or more ports.
 19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more ports include a rupture disc.
 20. A method comprising: running a tool in a borehole as part of a completion system, the tool operable to allow diversion of flow from an inner diameter of a casing through one or more ports at an outer diameter of the casing during operation in the borehole, the tool including an alterable material structured such that the alterable material blocks access to the one or more ports, isolating the inner diameter from the annulus while running the casing into the borehole, until altering conditions of the alterable material occur that allows flow to be initiated from the inner diameter to the annulus, the alterable material being a dissolvable material or a degradable material; securing the casing; pressure testing the casing; and fracturing formation around the borehole after a time at which breaking up of the alterable material, according to the altering conditions, has substantially completed.
 21. The method of claim 20, wherein securing the casing includes cementing the casing or setting the casing with packers.
 22. The method of claim 20, wherein the alterable material is structured as a sleeve on the inner diameter of the casing such that the sleeve breaks up according to the altering conditions.
 23. The method of claim 20, wherein the alterable material is a dissolvable material composed from materials that dissolve over time based on temperature.
 24. The method of claim 23, where the dissolvable material includes a fabricated part that loses greater than 0.1% of its total mass per day at 200° F. in 15% KCl at a pH of
 7. 25. The method of claim 20, wherein the alterable material is a degradable material. 26.-29. (canceled) 